I do Understand
by calikocat
Summary: Missing scenes from Bolt Action. What would you call Horatio? You certainly can't call him a cougar. Horatio/Ryan


I Do Understand

calikocat

Horatio/Ryan

word count: 897

Disclaimer: I do not own CSI Miami or any of its characters.

Info: Missing scenes from Episode 172: Bolt Action. The one with the cougars and their boy toys. LOL

XXX

Ryan turned and leaned over the table as he gave Natalia a confused look. "Uh, cougars and cubs?"

She nodded. "Yeah, you know when older women date younger guys. Like Demi and Ashton, or Mariah and Nick." She smiled as he kept up the confused look. "You've never heard of a cougar?"

"No." He glanced over at Hailey and her mother. "But I have heard of cat fights, which is what we have now."

They started to move towards the pair, but Natalia's next words nearly made him stumble. "If Horatio was a woman, he would be your cougar."

"You are a strange woman...and now I have an image of Horatio in drag in my head. I really didn't need that."

Natalia smirked. "Really? I would have thought you'd like Horatio no matter what he was wearing."

Ryan rolled his eyes. "I would, but now I've got a freeze frame of my lover in a short leather mini skirt, fishnet stockings and a slut red tank top stuck in my brain and it's hard to concentrate on a case with that sort of thing in my head."

Natalia snorted and they shared a smile.

xxx

"Ms. Parsons." Horatio waited for the woman to turn and look at him quizzically.

"Yes?"

"I'm Lieutenant Horatio Caine. You spoke to my people earlier."

"Yeah, I remember the interrogation. The worst day of my life and I was accused of killing the man I loved."

He tilted his head. "I thought you should know, we caught the person responsible for Peter's death."

She closed her eyes, her body stilled its restless movements and she took a deep breath, letting it out slowly before opening her eyes again. "Who killed my Peter?"

"Mr. Collins."

Jacklyn Parsons stood there, her mouth open just a bit, probably from shock. "He couldn't take it anymore." She stated with a bitter laugh. "God, why couldn't he have just saved us all a lot of misery and killed his wife instead?"

"I understand what you must be going through-"

"You don't know a thing!" She took a step toward him, finger pointed accusingly at him, her heels clicking menacingly on the sidewalk. "How could you?"

"You loved him, and you lost him, he was taken from you too soon." He paused. "My wife was taken from me, murdered."

Jacklyn continued to glare at him. "Was she younger than you?"

"She was, but that's not what I'm getting at. I loved my wife very much, and her family and I are still very close. However...I did find love again."

Her eyes lost just a touch of their rage. "I can't...I won't."

"Not today, nor tomorrow...maybe not for a year, but you will find it again."

She snorted, and a couple of tears trickled from her eyes. "And if it's a younger man...would you call me a sexual carnivore...a cougar?"

"No. No Ms. Parsons I would not."

She stared at him for a moment, her eyes searching his. Horatio did his best to answer her silently. Finally she nodded. "I believe you...I don't know why, but I do."

He gave her a small smile. "There's nothing wrong with it, being in love with a younger man." His smiled deepened as he noticed Ryan approaching them.

Jacklyn's expression changed the beginnings of understanding coloring her face. "You?" Then she smiled at him in amusement. "Is there even a term for that? We certainly can't call you a cougar."

"Hey H."

Horatio grinned back at her, even as he reached out to Ryan and pulled him closer. The younger man blinked but let himself be tugged in close in a half embrace. "Ryan."

"I uh...we just have some paperwork to finish up. Then we can call it a day." Ryan looked from Horatio to Jacklyn. "What's going on?"

Jacklyn hid a sad smile behind her hand. "Point taken Lieutenant...I just need some time."

"Good luck Ms. Parsons."

"You too. You should take your Kitten home and give him a glass of warm milk." She smirked and turned swiftly on her heel, leaving them in her dust.

Ryan leaned into him as they watched her walk away. "What just happened?"

"It doesn't matter. Let's go home."

"Paperwork, Horatio."

"It can wait." He kept his grip on Ryan's wrist and led him toward the Hummer. "I can't."

"Have you ever worn fishnets?"

Horatio smiled at the sudden question, even as he helped Ryan into the Hummer, buckling him in. "No, but that does sound interesting." He leaned in closer, enjoying the blush on Ryan's cheeks. "What else would you like to see me wear?"

Ryan swallowed and raised a hand to cup his cheek. "A leather mini skirt?"

"There's one in the back of the closet. It might still fit."

Ryan's eyes glazed a bit and he cleared his throat. "Why aren't you driving yet?"

"Patience, Ryan, patience. We have all night." He pulled away and closed the Hummer door before slipping his shades back on and walking to the driver's side.

It was going to be an interesting night.

XXX


End file.
